Johannesburg

New Restaurants & Bars – what you missed in 2022

more than a year ago
2022 was a year for glitz and high glamour with the opening of trending eateries like Mamasamba and Just Teddy, natty winebars like Acid and Father Coffee winebar, and the most decadent, over-the top desserts at The Pantry and Shazmin’s Patisserie. Read on for the most popular restaurants and bars you may have missed in 2022. Here's your chance to catch up with the standouts!
 

Delis & Patisserie

Portuguese pastries at Casa de Natas

Casa De Natas

We are beyond thankful to Casa De Natas for bringing pasteis de nata, iconic Portuguese pastry, to the neighbourhood. After opening in Sandton City, a second branch quickly followed at Rosebank Mall in September 2022. We can’t get enough of these caramelized cups of rich egg custard encased in layers of flaky golden pastry. They’re handmade and baked fresh daily. 

Cremalat

In March 2022, Italian delicatessen Cremalat opened a new branch at Hyde Park Shopping Centre (next to BP petrol station, and not to be confused with Hyde Park Corner). Their vast selection of local and imported Italian goods ranges from cheese and cold meats to biscuits and rare spices. We highly recommend a sandwich with crusty ciabatta bread and marinated deli vegetables. 

 
Decadent cakes at Just Teddy Sandton

Just Teddy 

The year welcomed Teddy Zaki’s second Just Teddy branch, in Nelson Mandela Square. The store is inspired by (and delivers) Dubai decadence with a champagne bar, chandeliers, emerald accents and gold trimmings. Just Teddy is well-known for Parisian and Middle Eastern pastries, but we love their wonderfully buttery homemade brioche buns. 

The Pantry

Late night hotspot The Pantry blew us away with a 24-hour deli, florist, pizzeria, patisserie and coffee shop. We pop in weekly for freshly baked baguettes and the best wood-fired focaccia in Joburg. And every Wednesday fans queue for the week’s designer donut – past favourites include Ferrero Rocher and Lemon Meringue-filled donuts.
 
Roses and cherry blossoms at Shazmin's Patisserie

Shazmin's Patisserie

In 2022’s year of patisserie, Shazmin’s luxe patisserie stole the show with a fully pink storefront adorned with cherry blossoms, a rosy archway, and pops of hot pink neon signage. Here, even the drinks are pink with cotton candy mocktails and pink hot chocolates. The patisserie (which named itself Jozi’s most instagrammable café) offers a large variety of teas, brunch classics, cakes, macarons, and pastries, which are also available to order through their online shop.
 

Cafés, Bistros & Fine Dining

Miso sea bass and other small plates at Mamasamba

Mamasamba

Mamasamba was arguably the hottest restaurant of 2022 – you simply couldn’t get a table through December, which is when many new Joburg restaurants try for a "soft" opening. This indoor jungle features plush emerald booths, wall to floor foliage, and a spiral staircase leading to an opulent cocktail bar. The open-plan kitchen shows off Mamasamba’s live-fire cooking, and your must-try dish is slow-cooked lamb birra barbacoa tacos. 
 
Tandoori grills at Modern Tailors

Modern Tailors

Another consistently booked-out restaurant in 2022 was the chic Indian restaurant Modern Tailors. Decked out with burnt orange and navy walls, tiger print wallpaper, vibrant pops of colour and texture, and an Indian street food-inspired menu, it’s easy to see how Joburg fell in love. At the Fordsburg Night Market, we love to snack on pani puri (stuffed crispy balls served with a sour tangy ‘pani’ or water) so we were delighted to see a Modern Tailors’ version on the menu. 

Test Kitchen Carbon 

In March 2022, trailblazer Luke Dale Roberts’ brought The Test Kitchen Carbon to Joburg – a reincarnation of his Cape Town original. This is a restaurant that speaks to the same inspirations of exciting, innovative, precise and skilful fine dining of its Cape Town parent, but with new flavours and inventions, in Rosebank's Oxford Parks precinct. Later in the year, they introduced Carbon Sundays with a laidback a la carte ‘tapas’ menu or ‘the best of’ 8-course menu and guest DJs on the decks. Joburg-style dining. 


Bars & Wine

Owners Jes Doveton and Jemma Styer at Acid wine bar

Acid Food & Wine

Last year welcomed two new wine bars (Acid and Father’s winebar) featuring ‘natty’ (natural) wines, juicy cinsaults, and cloudy chenins. Acid Wine Bar opened in Parktown North towards the end of 2022. Their carefully curated wine list tries to showcase wines of unusual variety and marginalised producers. Menu highlights include fresh oysters with green nam jim dressing and the creamiest goats cheese and green pea risotto. You'll find a fun crowd hanging out here, and loud tunes. 
 
The must-try Quoin Rock vine-dried

QBar 

A more classic wine bar (but with equally delicious vino) opened in Oxfords Parks. Qbar brings the Cape Winelands tasting experience to Gauteng through three experienced sommeliers who relocated from Quoin Rock’s Stellenbosch estate. If you can’t taste it all, at least end your night with a glass of Quoin Rock vine dried – a deliciously balanced dessert wine made from 100% sauvignon blanc. 

WINEBAR

Father Coffee opened a small bar, lazily named ‘WINEBAR’, in their flagship warehouse-style store in Kramerville. Despite the name, the curated wine list is thoughtfully prepared with a selection of bubbles, white, red, rosé, and orange wines (made by leaving the skins on white wine grapes). Wines by the glass change regularly, and nibbles include homemade pickles and freshly baked sourdough with clouds of whipped French butter and sea salt. 

 

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